Finger Adhesible Abrasive Pad

ABSTRACT

A finger adhesible abrasive pad that comprises an abrasive layer, a substantially planar substrate for the abrasive layer which is made of flexible material, an adhesive layer applied to the underside of the substrate, and a peelable layer applied to the adhesive layer. The abrasive pad is attachable to a fingertip by means of the adhesive layer prior to the commencement of a sanding operation.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of sanding. Moreparticularly, the invention relates to a finger adhesible abrasive pad.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Several types of sanding gloves have been recently introduced towoodworkers, to minimize fatigue to the hand and fingers while carryingout a sanding operation. Rather than having to constantly gripsandpaper, sanding blocks, and the like, which normally increases userfatigue, abrasive pads attached to a glove allow users to sand anydesired contour of a workpiece by free and relatively tireless movementof the fingers. Such abrasive pads are generally releasably attached tothe glove by means of loop fastening material such as Velcro so that thepads may be replaced when worn or when a different grade abrasivematerial is desired to be used. Exemplary sanding gloves are disclosedin GB 2368776 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,557,178.

Sanding gloves suffer from several deficiencies. Firstly, the type ofsanding operations that can be carried out with sanding gloves islimited by the thickness of a finger or by the glove fabric.Consequently, accurate abrading or polishing operations for thin anddelicate workpieces such as jewelry cannot be performed with sandinggloves. Secondly, a user wearing a sanding glove cannot feel theroughness of an object that needs to be sanded. Therefore, those sandingoperations that require the sense of touch, such as a manicure or therepair of a punctured bicycle tire, preclude the use of sanding gloves.Another reason that sanding gloves cannot be used for manicures is thatthe abrasive pads attached to a sanding glove are generally used formore than one sanding operation and are liable to transmit skin diseasessuch as fungus from one subject to another.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an abrasive pad bywhich accurate abrading or polishing operations for thin and delicateworkpieces can be performed.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide anabrasive pad by which a user can feel the roughness of an object thatneeds to be sanded.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide anabrasive pad that precludes the transmission of skin diseases such asfungus from one subject to another.

It is yet an additional object of the present invention to provide anabrasive pad that does not limit hand and finger movement.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent asthe description proceeds.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a finger adhesible abrasive pad,comprising an abrasive layer, a substantially planar substrate for saidabrasive layer which is made of flexible material, an adhesive layerapplied to the underside of said substrate, and a peelable layer appliedto said adhesive layer, wherein the abrasive pad is attachable to afingertip by means of said adhesive layer prior to the commencement of asanding operation.

The substrate is of sufficient size and is adhesible to the fingertip insuch a way so as to prevent injury to the fingertip during a sandingoperation. In one aspect, the substrate is substantially of the samesize as the abrasive layer.

In one aspect, the substrate is produced in strip form or in rolls. Inone aspect, a plurality of abrasive pads are releasably adhered to acommon peelable layer.

The abrasive pad is suitable for sanding operations selected from thegroup of abrading or polishing operations for jewelry, manicures, therepair of a punctured bicycle tire, the smoothening of the casing ofelectronic equipment, metalworking applications, and woodworkingapplications.

The abrasive layer is preferably made from abrading particles selectedfrom the group of aluminum oxide, garnet, ceramic, and silicon carbidehaving an average particle diameter ranging from approximately 60 to1000 microns [(which can be also expressed in grit size code accordingto FEPA's (Federation of European Producers of Abrasives) standard].

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a finger adhesible abrasive pad, in accordancewith one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of an array of abrasive pads; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an abrasive pad attached to a fingertipprior to a sanding operation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is an abrasive pad that is releasably adhesible toa finger. A finger to which such a pad is adhered is able to feel theroughness of an object to be sanded and to carry out a sanding operationin a desired area of roughness.

FIG. 1 illustrates an abrasive pad, according to one embodiment of theinvention. The abrasive pad generally designated by numeral 10 comprisesabrasive layer 5, e.g. sandpaper, which is produced in a manner wellknown to those skilled in the art and made with suitable abradingparticles such as aluminum oxide, garnet, ceramic, and silicon carbidehaving an average particle diameter ranging from approximately 60-1000microns. a substantially planar substrate 7 of abrasive layer 5 made offlexible material such as cloth, polyester film, and multi-layerimpregnated paper, adhesive layer 12 applied to the underside of planarsubstrate, and peelable layer 15 applied to adhesive layer 12. Substrate7 may be of the same size as abrasive layer 5. Alternatively, substrate7 may be considerably larger than abrasive layer 5, e.g. produced instrip form, so that substrate 7 may be wrapped around a finger orapplied along the length of the finger.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary commercial product that may include anarray of adhesible abrasive pads 10, six of which are shown. Theplurality of abrasive pads 10 are releasably adhered to common peelablelayer 25. Each abrasive pad 10 is preferably detached from layer 25prior to the application of an abrasive pad 10 onto a finger.

FIG. 3 illustrates a typical sanding operation carried out with theabrasive pad of the invention. Abrasive pad 10 is adhered to the fleshypart of the fingertip 29 in such a way that the fingertip will not beinjures during a sanding operation. Although abrasive pad 10 ispreferably adhered to the thumb due the superior force that may beapplied by the thumb with respect to the other fingers, it will beappreciated that the abrasive pad may be applied to the other fingers aswell. Alternatively, abrasive pads may be applied to more than onefinger, if the need of such a sanding operation arises. After the userobserves that surface 35 has an undesirable area 37 of roughness,abrasive pad 10 is placed on area 37 of roughness and fingertip 29 ismoved in reciprocating or rotary motion in such a way so as to smoothenarea 37. By employing an abrasive pad in such a way, the other fingersof the hand are free to move in any desirable fashion. Also, the handmay grasp an object when the sanding operation is being performed. Whenthe abrasive layer of pad 10 is worn, the pad is detached from fingertip29 and is replaced by a new abrasive pad 10.

The abrasive pad of the present invention is particularly useful forcarrying out accurate abrading or polishing operations for thin anddelicate workpieces such as jewelry. The fingertip can remove areas ofroughness that are detected on the piece of jewelry which are generallyinaccessible when conventional sanding devices such as sandpaper andsanding blocks are used. The abrasive pad is also useful for thosesanding operations that require the sense of touch, such as a manicurewhereby the abrasive pad is replaced at the completion of the manicurein order to prevent the transmission of skin diseases such as fungus, orthe repair of a punctured bicycle tire whereby the puncture site isgenerally detected by the sense of touch and the area surrounding thepuncture site is abraded in order to adhere thereto a repair unit foroccluding the puncture site. An additional application for the abrasivepad is for the smoothening of the casing of electronic equipment. Attimes metallic fragments, which may cause damage to wires or may resultin a short circuit, remain in the vicinity of the casing apertures,following the milling of the casing. Similarly, the abrasive pad of theinvention is also suitable for metalworking and woodworkingapplications.

While some embodiments of the invention have been described by way ofillustration, it will be apparent that the invention can be carried intopractice with many modifications, variations and adaptations, and withthe use of numerous equivalents or alternative solutions that are withinthe scope of persons skilled in the art, without departing from thespirit of the invention or exceeding the scope of the claims.

1. A finger adhesible abrasive pad, comprising an abrasive layer, asubstantially planar substrate for said abrasive layer which is made offlexible material, an adhesive layer applied to the underside of saidsubstrate, and a peelable layer applied to said adhesive layer, whereinthe abrasive pad is attachable to a fingertip by means of said adhesivelayer prior to the commencement of a sanding operation.
 2. The abrasivepad according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is of sufficient sizeand is adhesible to the fingertip in such a way so as to prevent injuryto the fingertip during a sanding operation.
 3. The abrasive padaccording to claim 2, wherein the substrate is substantially of the samesize as the abrasive layer.
 4. The abrasive pad according to claim 1,wherein a plurality of abrasive pads are releasably adhered to a commonpeelable layer.
 5. The abrasive pad according to claim 1, which issuitable for sanding operations selected from the group of abrading orpolishing operations for jewelry, manicures, the repair of a puncturedbicycle tire, the smoothening of the casing of electronic equipment,metalworking applications, and woodworking applications.
 6. The abrasivepad according to claim 1, wherein the abrasive layer is made fromabrading particles selected from the group of aluminum oxide, garnet,ceramic, and silicon carbide having an average particle diameter rangingfrom approximately 60 to 1000 microns.
 7. (canceled)
 8. The abrasive padaccording to claim 2, wherein the substrate is produced in strip form orin rolls.